A new manufacturing irregularity has surfaced in Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft, possibly impacting the schedule of future deliveries. The fuselages, constructed by Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing's principal contractor, were discovered to contain additional holes in the rear pressurization bulkhead.
The problem was authenticated by Boeing's inspection team, who found instances of misaligned and duplicated holes in some bulkheads. Even more concerning, these anomalies had managed to clear Spirit's quality control measures.
Boeing has officially acknowledged the matter, stating, "During factory inspections, we identified fastener holes that did not conform to our specifications in the aft pressure bulkhead on certain 737 airplanes."
This discovery marks another challenge for the 737 MAX production line, likely causing delays at a time when Boeing is working to catch up on an extensive backlog of orders.